Aviation Australia education campus opens at Brisbane Airport

Construction on the new Aviation Australia education campus at Brisbane Airport is now complete, with the Honourable Yvette D’Ath MP, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Training and Skills officially opening the facility today.

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) funded the $10 million facility with the development managed by BAC’s property division, BNE Property.

BAC CEO and Managing Director Julieanne Alroe said the project is a continuation of a long term relationship with Aviation Australia.

“BAC is proud to invest in new education and training facilities that will enable our long term tenant Aviation Australia to expand its world-class training offer,” Ms Alroe said.

“For Brisbane Airport, new developments like this contribute to our transformation into a commercial, industrial and lifestyle hub.

“It’s all part of our $3.8 billion of investment into the airport over the next decade, and our commitment to creating platforms for economic growth and development for the benefit of Brisbane and Queensland.”

The new 5,000m2 facility is a significant expansion to Aviation Australia’s base at Brisbane Airport, providing 20 new lecture rooms, a technical training centre and café.

The new development takes Aviation Australia’s total lease area to approximately 19,000m2 including the adjacent training centre and airside hangar.

Aviation Australia CEO Bill Horrocks said the new facility will be able to accommodate an additional 500 students at the campus and support the future growth of the business.

“Our new facility will continue to improve the services we offer to the aviation industry and our growing domestic and international customer demand,” Mr Horrocks said.

“Aviation Australia has provided training to over 1,000 students in the last year alone, a significant milestone for our 15th year of operation.

The new training facility features a co-located Thales LifeFlight Simulation Centre with Australia’s first Augusta Westland 139 helicopter full flight simulator to provide multi-mission training, including training for emergency helicopter pilots and crew.

LifeFlight Chairman the Honourable Rob Borbidge AO said the air medical company was proud to partner with BAC, Aviation Australia and Thales to deliver the centre.

“The Thales LifeFlight Simulation Centre will provide life-saving training to hundreds of aviation professionals from around the world each year,” Mr Borbidge said.

“The partnership between LifeFlight and Thales in developing the world’s most advanced commercial helicopter simulator is a special relationship that works for the mutual benefit of both parties.

“This is a strong commercial initiative and partnership which will be advantageous for Thales, LifeFlight and our Training Academy.

“A major benefit in this project has been the 20-plus years in experience that the LifeFlight Training Academy has in all aspects of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services training and its large tailor-made and customised training offering that applies to a wide range of mission profiles, including aeromedical and emergency services.”

Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said: “We have made a multi-million dollar investment into this facility, which will see a state-of-the-art simulator used to train AW139 helicopter crews from all around Australia and from overseas.

“We’re bringing advanced global technology to Australia, and showing how industry partnerships can lead the way in providing world-class training services to national and international markets.”

Ms Alroe said a 500m2 café has been included in the development to cater for the campus’ additional staff and students as well as the businesses in the wider precinct.

“The Airport South precinct is a growing business hub home to a wide range of logistics, aviation, training and technology businesses including DHL, Airservices, Mitsubishi and QUT,” Ms Alroe said.

“Connected to the Brisbane City Council bus network, with retail precinct Skygate just minutes away, the precinct is an attractive business destination,” she said.